


The Lost One

by MistressOfLions



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Magical Backlash, Other, regisson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:21:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25295347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressOfLions/pseuds/MistressOfLions
Relationships: Cor Leonis/Nyx Ulric, Regis Lucis Caelum & Nyx Ulric
Comments: 19
Kudos: 59





	1. The Foundling

Standing at attention had never _hurt_ Nyx so much, the feel of the magic he inherited from his father, the King of Lucis himself seethed and boiled beneath his skin. The council members talked endlessly and in circles around each other as King Regis sits at the head of the large oak table, closest to Nyx and his Shield; completely unawares of the fight happening inside of the person sworn to serve and obey him, to give his life if necessary. He could taste the blood on his tongue and in the back of his throat, a harsh swallow, gulping back the bile and blood was his only response to the taste. He blinked slowly almost like he was drunk as he felt his magic try and surge up and reach out to the magic of the only other Lucis Caelum in the room; but he trampled down his magic and held it in a tighter grip, willing it, _forcing_ it to become smaller and smaller.

His magic churns and bubbles in agitation at the attempts of control. "-ats why we need to budget these matters, Majesty," he did little more than tune in and out of the meeting, too focused on his own attempts of control while the nobility of Lucis squabbled over budgets and laws like dogs over bones.

A muted cut off gasp was what alerted the King something not being quite right, he shifted his gaze over all the amassed members in the chamber, looking for the one that gave such a low noise. Regis' eyes passed over each person in turn, before the sound of a low almost inaudible whine made him snap his gaze to the right of him. Glancing over he saw his glaive, Nyx Ulric, if he recalled correctly, looking uncomfortable and pale. He could see a thin sheen of sweat coating the glaive's brow, making Regis' own brows furrow in confusion. "Majesty, councilwoman Edea and I would like to put it to a vote, with your permission, of course," Regis' attention snapped back to the meeting at hand, but he made a mental note to check in on his glaive when all was said and done with the council meeting.

Nyx hadn't meant to let out the sharp gasp and more so the whine that managed to escape his throat. But his magic was getting worse the longer he stood near his father, never mind that said father didn't even know of his existence. But the pain was searing, like a molten metal was being pushed through his veins in place of his blood. He could do little more than grit his teeth and silently pant through the pain. He fought back a whimper when it felt as if his magic was curling around his own bones and squeezing around them as if to break them from the inside. It was when the arguing grew louder, when the voices merged into one single deafening roar, that the tentative command he had on his magic broke free. His magic surged like a tidal wave and he was lost in the storm of it.

Regis watched as his council argued and squawked back and forth with each other, none of them giving the others any ground in the argument. It was then that he made to stand, about to break up the growing hostilities, that the feeling almost like a dam breaking, the magic of another Lucis Caelum, surged within the room, filling it with the heat of pain and misery. He swung his head around looking for the only other Lucis Caelum he knew of, Looking for his young son. But looking to where the source of the magic was coming from, only for his gaze fall to the glaive that had once, but was now kneeling, stood next to him.

Panic was all Nyx felt as his magic surged both inside and outside of him, he could feel as fire seared away and into the flesh and muscle of his left hand and up his arm; could feel lightning and ice tighten around his lungs forcing him to gasp and choke as he tried to take in air. He coughed and blood thick and nearly black, came spilling from his lips. The roar and outrage of council members was nothing but a dull sound in his ears as his magic twisted and turned on itself, as though punishing him for not telling the King about the blood ties they shared, for keeping silent when he should have spoke, for not getting the help he would have been able receive. Dimly he was aware of a chair scraping against the tile floor, then the barely felt heat of a hand on the back of his neck.

Regis panicked when he felt the rush of magic of another Lucis Caelum; when he felt the white hot searing pain, the agony and torment, the helplessness. The sight that greeted him was not at all what he thought he would find but it was horror he felt when he saw his crumpled on the ground with blood dripping steadily from his mouth to the tile below.

Rising from the chair, nearly knocking it over in his rush to reach the young man who's magic, his very _essence_ , was trying to tear him asunder. As he reached Nyx and tried to place a hand on his quivering form, a rush of lightning, arched off the younger man's shivering form and tried to race up Regis' own. A small burst of his own magic, a small reprimand, was enough to both stop and deter that from that happening again. But that burst of magic had caused a pained keen to escape blood coated lips; Regis went to pull his hand from him but stopped and placed his hand back and tried to soothe him by gently rubbing circles into the back of the galahdian's neck. Feeling how the muscles beneath his hand started to slacken, he gave a small shake, hoping to bring the young man closer to consciousness.

Nyx tried to raise his head to look at whose hand was pressed to his neck and rubbing. But try as he might, his vision remained hazy and the shadows kept creeping _closer_ trying to swallow him. The hand on his nape tightened and gave a small shake as though trying to bring his mind back to the present but the he felt the threads of awareness still slipping away. Nyx opened his mouth to say such, but a gargled and pained moan was all that escaped.

Regis snapped his head towards where his shield hovered just over his right shoulder, "Clarus, _quickly_ go and have one of the guards at the doors _run_ and bring a doctor to the meeting chamber!" His shield gave a nod before rushing to the doors and began barking orders to those just outside them, the sound of boots hitting the ground and fading the only sign that the orders were being followed. He pulled on Nyx's shoulders, trying to sit him up but Nyx was boneless and unstable, listing to one side. "Nyx! I need you to focus on me," But the words didn't seem to reach Nyx and he only fell to the side, crashing his dead weight and slumping onto Regis' form; spasms coursing through him as his magic gave one last surge before the dark consumed his senses and he knew nothing else.

The rushing of feet on the tile floors was the only sign that alerted the King that one of the many citadel doctors had arrived. But if it was too late not even he knew. The limp body of his quite possible son was a heavy and rather grim reminder, of just what the magic that flows through every Lucis Caelum was capable of. Looking over to the doctor as he knelt beside him, Regis almost wished to move and hide the glaive that lie in his arms. But the more logical part of his mind won out and he settled for watching the doctor from the corner of his eye. If the man was in anyway uncomfortable by the stare from his King, he showed no sign of it as he went about his job.

Even the elder council members stayed silent as the doctor checked over the glaive that still lay slumped against his King, unaware of that very King's panic. As the doctor worked, Regis could do little more than shift and adjust Nyx for the doctor. He watched with growing concern and horror as the potion the doctor cracked over him did nothing more than to cause Nyx's magic to deepen the fissures and make him bleed faster, soaking his suit with the metallic tang of blood. The doctor's eyes widened as he watched the wounds bleed, the blood bubbling up and spilling onto the tiles faster and faster. He reached for the bag of supplies at his side searching almost frantically for bandages to stanch the bleeding; but the sterile white of the gauze was quickly dyed crimson. With the bleeding not stopping, a tourniquet was pulled from the bag, and Nyx did little more than lie still as the tourniquet was tied into place on his arm.

"Your Majesty, we must move him. Without delay. He needs more help than I can give him in these chambers." Regis stared at Dr. Tappo, his own green eyes staring into the earth brown hues of the doctor's. The doctor's eyes pleaded with Regis' own. Nodding his head, the King shifted the injured man in his arms, allowing Clarus to bend down and take him into his arms. Watching with sharp eyes as his shield stood with Nyx; the younger and slighter man lay boneless; seemingly smaller and more frail than he had ever seen the normally charismatic glaive.

To Regis the mad rush to the medical wing held within the citadel was a rush of burred colors and hazy jumbled words. His mind hyper-focused on the red liquid that dripped without stop from the pale figure in Clarus' arms. Undoubtedly Clarus' formal robes would be as unsalvageable as his own by the time this day reached it's end.

"Reggie?"

The King's head snapped up, looking to his long time friend he could clearly see the questions that danced, just on the tip of Clarus' tongue, waiting to be asked. But Regis had no answers to give him. Not the ones he wanted at least. "I don't know. Didn't know," Regis corrected as shook his head with a tired sigh, leaning further back into one of the chairs that lined the hall of the medical wing. Clarus breathed a heavy breath, before fanning the papers he held in front of the King. It took a moment for him to focus on the papers before snatching them from his friend's hands and reading over the printed words. There on the paper in stark black and white, was the paternity test, Regis stared blankly at the paper as he read over each circled matching alleles. he looked further down the page and saw the results. **PROBABILITY OF PATERNITY: 99.9998%**. The paper crumbled as he clenched his fist. It was the sound of rustling fabric that drew his attention from the creased paperwork, to the face of Clarus. His eyes questioning his King as Regis showed the test and it's results. Clarus sucked in a breath through his teeth at the bold capital letters at the bottom on the page.

"What are you going to do Reggie?" The question an innocent one but at the same time, it was like a loaded gun waiting to go off. Clarus watched as his friend, his King; slumped down into the chair. As Regis opened his mouth the give an answer Dr. Tappo exited the doors that lead into the surgery room. He sat straight in the chair as the doctor walked over.

"Forgive the interruption Majesty. But we stopped the bleeding and we were able to stitch the gouges on his arm closed. He's lost almost three pints of blood, but we've been able to stabilize him."

"How is he?"

Dr. Tappo sighed when asked, "He's had a blood transfusion to help with the blood loss. But when it comes to the magical portion as himself, well, there's little we can do for that. We have on him magic suppressants for the moment. His magic seems to have broken a three of his ribs. Luckily his lungs weren't punctured but we will keep him here for a few days just to monitor he progress and rate of healing. As you know Majesty, wounds caused by magic have their own set of complications that may rise," Regis nodded as Tappo spoke.

"May I see him? If only to see for myself?"

The other man nodded, "Of course, Majesty," Regis stood when the doctor beckoned and followed him into the room.

Passing through another set of doors, and upon entering a secluded room towards the end of corridor, Regis was greeted with the sight of his glai- no his _son_ , laying prone on the bleached sheets of the hospital bed. His eyes traveled along the body that lay in the bed taking in all there was. From the dark hair, with the Galahdian beads and braids, splayed across the pillow, to the too pale sunkissed skin that was swathed in the muted colors of the medical wing's dressing gowns and connected to IVs and wires. His eyes continued their path before reaching Nyx's left arm. His arm lay limp like the rest of him, only wrapped from the second knuckle of each finger up his shoulder. If he focused enough he could still smell the ozone mixed magic and the copper tinge of blood that soaked the air in the room; before walking closer to the bed, his shoes against the tiles was almost too harsh a sound in the quite room.

Reaching the side of the bed, the heart rate monitor was a steady beep in his ears as he stared at his lost son. "You will make sure that he is well taken care of," dragging a hand down his face Regis looked to Tappo to make sure he understood it as the order it was. He would have no mistakes to complicate his son's healing and health. Tappo slightly paled at the look on his King's face.

Tappo bowed his head in acknowledgement of the order. Giving a full bow the doctor backed out of the room to give the King privacy. Hearing the doors click shut Regis finally allowed himself to slump as he watched his son's chest rise and fall with his breaths. Regis' mind continued to replay the scene in vivid detail. His mind constantly running through all the signs he missed. Nyx's innate instinct when it came to magic. How he took to the magic like a coeurl takes to stalking prey. How Nyx could call lightning and fire to his hand with a twitch of a finger. Those signs and the countless others; his mind pin pointing them faster and faster the more he thought about them. Even the similarities between him and his youngest son, the eyes, the smile. How could he have _missed_ all of it?

The sound of the door creaking open was his only cue to someone entering the room. Turning his head he watched as his shield, now noting that Clarus had stripped off the blood soaked council robes and was now dressed down in a plain black turtleneck and black pants, his hands also were now scrubbed clean, not single hint that just a scant five hours ago his robes dripped the blood that should have been in his son's veins.

The first thing that Nyx's mind registered was a dull burning in his arm. Not blistering, more like falling asleep near a heater in winter under a heavy blanket, the next thing he noticed was the pain in his chest with each breath. No doubt he has a rib or two broken; he knows that feeling a little too well. But the last and most surprising was that he could barely feel his magic. It was almost like it had simply burnt itself out. He could still feel it, but it was a dull pulse instead of it's normal ache.

A low whine was what alerted Regis to the fact that something had changed, turning away from Clarus he was greeted to the sight of dazed green ringed blue eyes looking around the room. Regis took a deep breath before softly clearing his throat. It was only when those eyes shifted towards him did he open his mouth to speak. 

Regis swallowed his words, as Nyx looked at him, his eyes still shone a vibrant green with the magic but the green ring was slowly fading back to the pale blue he was born with. Clarus chanced at look at his King before silently backing out of the door, a lock's soft click and the near silent footsteps the only sounds giving away his retreat. Regis snapped out of his staring when Nyx made a attempt to rise from the bed to stand and salute, but it was a short lived attempt, his arms not able to hold his weight and he fell back onto the bed.

Striding closer to the hospital bed, Regis pressed a hand to the struggling glaive's chest and pushed him back into the bed. The King gave a nod in approval when he felt the younger go lax under his palm. "Please, stay lying down. I would hate for the sutures to pull," a sigh was his answer as Nyx looked down at his arm, gazing at the trailing IVs that were buried under his skin. "I'm guessing that you might be wondering what the IVs are filled with, yes?" Regis questioned, a nod of a dark haired head was his answer.

Nyx spoke before the King could say another work, "I know what the clear one is, just plain fluids. But the purple one is a mystery to me."

Nodding Regis explained, "The purple fluid is a magic suppressor; admittedly a rather strong dosage, but it is serving its purpose. I'm certain you might not even really be able to feel your magic right now; and if you are able to I'm going guess that it feels very dull, most likely no more than an echo of feeling," taking a deep breath the King continued, "Until the injuries you gained are healed enough, enough at least that I might be able to teach you some basic control exercises, when that happens you will be slowly weened off of the suppressors. Right now however, your magic is too volatile to be off the suppressor for any length of time." Drumming his fingers against his thigh he watched as the younger digested the words spoke to him.

Nyx glanced at the King, he opened his mouth as if to speak but stopped himself. Biting his lip Nyx debated with himself, his mind at war. 'does the his Majesty now know, I'm his bastard son? have they done blood testing while I was unconscious? What will he do if he knows? What will happen to me?' those and more circled through his head, his magic slowly becoming the harsh throb he's know all his life as his thoughts turned chaotic. "Nyx!" The sharp command enough to snap him out of the swirling storm his mind had become. Looking to the King he noticed the elder had laid a hand on his shoulder, the worried look in his Majesty's eyes something he wasn't used to. "Nyx I need you to breathe," Regis said, the hand on his shoulder tightening and gave Nyx a focus point, the weighted pressure both steady and calming as he struggled to take air into his lungs. His magic slowly becoming the dull pulse again, and the glaive found himself craving the dullness of it, where his magic was no longer sharp, painful, and loud but smooth and quite. "We will work on that, but for the moment we may have to increase the dosage of the suppressors even more, however increasing the dosage even more will come with it's own risk," he nodded his head not really listening to the words but focusing more on the deep timbre of his father's voice as he spoke.

Looking at his son Regis watched as Nyx's eyes continued to flutter shut, and with each passing second he could see him struggling to keep his eyes open for more than a few seconds. Huffing a small laugh Regis pressed more weight onto the shoulder still held in his grasp. He watched as his son, still drowsy and weak moved with the pressure, leaning backwards until he lie flat on the bed; his eyes now barely open, and his breathing deep. Regis gave on last gentle push on his son's shoulder before letting go and watching as his eyes fluttered and stayed shut as no doubt the exhaustion caught up with him.

The sound of the room's door handle being jiggled was his cue that someone was there; most likely Dr. Tappo wanting to check-in   
on his patient. giving one more glance at the sleeping glaive, the King walked to the door, flipped the lock and opened it revealing the doctor who held in his hand a syringe. Regis raised a brow at the syringe, the question clear on his face. Tappo rushed to ease his King's mind, "It's simply a painkiller Majesty, with the dosage of suppressors he's on we have to closely monitor the other drugs, so there's no adverse reaction between the medications."

Nodding to the words Regis replied, "Ah I was meaning to speak with you about the suppressors," Tappo nodded waiting for his King to continue, "We might have need to up the dosage, even on the current amount his magic was still able to act up more than it should have." Regis watched as the doctor chewed his lip before speaking. 

"While Sir Nyx isn't on the highest dosage, he is still on a very heavy suppressor. For the time being I would advise against strengthening the medication. The surge of his magic could have been from stress."

"How would you be able to tell if he needed the higher dosage? Unless by his magical surges."

Tappo nodded, "I understand your concerns Majesty, but as it stands right now, any higher of a dosage could cause more problems than a slight surge. As long as his magic does not start to injure him, then it is best we keep him as this dosage and slowly lower it over a course of time." Tappo crossed his arms before continuing, "With the dosage he's on now, while he probably cannot really feel his magic, it should not be completely cut off, if he pushes and forces than his magic will still rise to meet the demand. But it will need a good shove to get moving. The surge you felt was probably the only surge he will have. Suppressors do need twenty-four hours to fully take effect. Sir Ulric has only had them running through his system for six hours. Please give them time to do their work. If he still has surges, we will look into upping the dosage." Tappo spoke, and he watched as his King released a sigh; no doubt the troubles and revelations of the day weighing heavy on his shoulders. To think that less than seven hours ago, his King had thought himself as only a father of one. Yet here he stood, a father of a ten-year old son and now a twenty-one year old bastard he had never known about. He didn't envy the position the man was in.

Regis huffed before nodding to the doctor's words. Moving to let Tappo pass he followed the man back into the room where his son still lie, right where Regis had guided him to. He watched with sharp eyes as the other man slid the needle into the injection port on the tubing of the IV, and he watched as he pressed the plunger and the clear fluid worked it's way through the tubing and down into the needle and then into his son's bloodstream. He looked to the younger male and he noticed how his body seemed to relax and he appeared to just melt into the bed. The sounds of the third man moving about the room and checking the readings of the machines snapped Regis out of his staring, his eyes followed the doctor as he marked and wrote the readings and information onto a clipboard, "Majesty?" asked Tappo, "While I'm sure you would like nothing more than to watch over Sir Ulric, I'm afraid that I must ask that you come back tomorrow morning. You need your rest as well my Liege," nodding his head Regis followed the doctor back into the hallway. Regis stared at his son's sleeping form as hidden from his view as the door clicked shut. 

The sounds of boots on the floor alerted him to the crownsguards that Clarus had no doubt put on duty to protect the room. He made a mental note to thank his friend. Giving one last glance to the door, Regis turned and began walking back down the hall towards the elevator and to his chambers, fully prepared to shower, and change out of his bloodied clothes.

Clarus met him at the elevator, standing at attention he waited until Regis got closer before hitting the button to go up. The two said nothing as the elevator door dinged before sliding open; stepping into the small lift and pressing the floor number they waited until the doors shut. Once the doors were closed and the lift started it's ascent Regis buried his face in his hands. His Kingly facade falling completely in the company of his life long friend. Clarus sighed, raising a hand and placing onto the King's shoulder, simply to offer comfort. "He'll be fine Reggie. Ulr-- Nyx is strong, he'll overcome this," he said.

The King gave a choked almost sob at the words, "You felt only an echo of his magic, of the pain and agony, my friend, a terrible, terrible echo. One he should have never had to feel. I wonder how he stayed alive," Clarus gave Regis a wide eyed look, "Our magic needs bonds, it keeps us balanced, and connected; grounded if you will. He's never had that. Never had the bonds that would have stopped his magic from doing this." Running a hand down his face, he continued, " He's dealt with this going on for years, I can only imagine how horrified his mother must have been, the first time this happe-"

Clarus interrupted him, "You could not have known that when we left Galahd, you sired a child. How could you have known? We stayed there only a few weeks."

"It does not matter Clarus. He's still mine, it's still my blood that flows through his veins. It's the Lucis Caelum magic that courses in his blood, it's that very magic that demands the bonds that he never had a chance to make. It's that magic that tore into his body, that seared away his skin! He is still having spasms from the lightning!" Clarus watched as his King ranted.

"Regis!" the King startled, "Listen to me. You did not know. If you had known, you would have helped him. I know this; so do you." Clarus kept his eyes locked with his King's. "You may not have been there for the start of his life, but you know now. And you can give him the help and training he needs. It's as you said, his magic does not have the bonds it needs, but it's a easy fix no?"

The King shook his head minutely, "His magic doesn't know how to respond to other magics," Regis said while lifting his right hand, twisting it as he continued, "His magic didn't know how to react to mine, when I placed my hand on his shoulder, lightning tried to race up my arm. A simple thing really, with an even simpler fix. A slight jolt of my own was enough to curb and deter it from happening again. But even then, it is not a painful lesson. His magic reacted almost as though I had struck him. His magic should not have acted as such." Clarus opened his mouth to speak but the elevator chimed, alerting them that they had reached the floor that Regis' chambers took up half of.

Entering the Kings' chambers Regis spun around to look at his shield, his face set like stone and his eyes hard. "The crownsguards you have set up to guard his door," Clarus nodded and hummed in askance, "I am no fool. I know that not many are happy that the Galahdians are here. But the ones that are outside his door. They will try nothing, they will do nothing, correct?" The other man rushed to reassure his friend, "They will do nothing more than guard his door and get a doctor should something occur. Nothing more. Nothing less." 

Clarus placed a hand on the other man's shoulder, "Regis, relax. Take a shower to wash the blood off and get out of those soiled clothes, we will visit him again in the morning. He should be awake and the suppressors should be settled in his system by then as well. Let us see what the dawn has to bring before we work ourselves up more than we should. Dr. Tappo has spoken with you, yes?" Clarus watched as the man nodded and began unfastening the cape and shoulder guard, giving a curt nod at seeing his words being taken to heart about a shower as well as the silent dismissal, he turned and exited the royal chambers.

The near blistering shower had done it's job of cleaning the drying blood off of him but it had done little to settle Regis' nerves. While he knew how to control his own magic he could still feel as his own kept trying to reach out to the son that, by this time no doubt lay prone and blissfully asleep in a guarded room. Sighing he allowed his magic to reach out, but not to his eldest son, not yet, Nyx's magic while suppressed still might not react well to being touched by another. So he reaches along until he feels the softest of touches against his own, Noctis it seemed has already been put to bed for the night.

A chuckle escaped his throat as he felt his young son's own magic curl against his, Noct's magic a soothing balm on his otherwise frazzled nerves. He went about his nightly routine with hardly any thoughts rushing through is head, more focused on the feel of Noctis' magic mingled with his own then on the constant what-ifs that surrounded the revelation of his now known eldest son.


	2. Chapter 2

The sharp sound of an alarm clock is what Regis was woken by. The sound shrilly slicing through the silence of his chambers, pushing himself up to stand with a grunt, he ran a hand over his face trying to clear the fog of sleep before he dressed and went to the medical ward after breakfast.

A knock to his chamber doors brought his focus away from fastening his cufflinks, as his eyes glanced at the door, "Enter," he said, but the sound of rushing feet had him look back to the door in confusion. The sight of Noctis, still in pajamas with mused hair running towards him, with the energy only a child could have, made him laugh as he leaned down to scoop him up in his arms.

"And just what are you doing up so early, my son?" He asked, "It's-" he paused, before peeking at the clock sitting on the nightstand and blinking, "-not even six am."

"I wanted breakfast with you. And Nyx is supposed to be my guard today! He promised he'd meet me after I had breakfast. So if I have breakfast early that means Nyx will be here sooner," came Noctis' happy exclamation blue eyes bright with barely contained glee.

Regis paled at his son's words, his own green eyes darkening. "Unfortunately Noctis, there was an accident last night. Nyx won't be your guard for a little while."

"Why? He promised though. "He promised that he'd teach me how to pick locks; said it's a good skill to have," He watched as his son's lip started to quiver and his eyes filled with tears.

Voice gentle, he spoke, "Believe me Noctis, he had no intention of breaking his promise to you. But last night something very very bad happened. He just needs time." While Noctis looked saddened by his words he still nodded.

Sighing Regis bounced him once, "How about you and I go for breakfast and then you get a few more hours of sleep, hm?"

"Okay. Can we have pancakes though? With chocolate chips and whipped cream?"

Laughing Regis nodded, "I'm sure it can be arranged."

The walk to the kitchen was a quite thing, most servants already done with their duties for the night and the next shift getting ready to begin.

The kitchen however was bustling even at this time in the morning, and Regis lead Noctis through the throng of shifting bodies and through an arched door way and into a small informal dining room.

Feeling his son's hand leave his, he watched with a smile as Noctis ran to the small breakfast nook that looked out at one of the citadel's many gardens, before he turned back to the busy kitchen to speak with a chef. A few moments later Regis walked back to the nook, orange juice in one hand and coffee in another. No doubt he'll need the caffeine to get through the day.

Handing over the glass of orange juice to Noctis' grabbing hands he sat himself across just in time for a server to stride into the room, arms laden with plates of food.

"My thanks," he nodded once the plates were set. The server bowed before leaving back into the adjacent room.

Laughter caught his attention and he watched as Noctis pretty well drowned his whipped cream smothered pancakes in syrup. Arching a brow he asked, voice flat, "Would you like a little pancake with your sugar, my son?"

Noctis nodded before he answered with all the seriousness of a ten year old, "Only a little bit of pancake."

Lifting his cup of coffee to his lips, Regis pushed a small bowl of sliced strawberries, apples, and duscaen oranges closer to the child currently inhaling the sugar and chocolate chip loaded breakfast cakes. He stifled a laugh as Noct stopped his munching; cheeks stuffed and pudged from breakfast, and looked from the bowl of fruit to his father, his nose scrunching at the sight.

"Come now, Noctis; a few slices is all I ask." He said, voice firm.

He watched patiently as Noct swallowed before he reached towards the bowl with his fork and speared a strawberry piece and then reached over and stabbed a sausage link that was on the edge of his own plate.

He blinked owlishly at his son who sat across from him, now chewing happily on his prize. "Strawberries taste better with sausage dad," he chucked at his son before digging into his own meal.

A throat being cleared broke the two from their conversation about whether a coeurl cub could be considered enough of a kitten for Noctis to have one, his dad said he could have, one (1) kitten, and coeurls were cats, what's the difference? It counted!

Regis wiped his mouth with his napkin, before turning to greet the pair that had just entered the room, "Ah Clarus," he stole a look to the woman beside him, "Ms. Arrabelle, I'm guessing you were wondering where your charge went?"

"Apologies Majesty. Usually his Highness is still asleep at this time, I hadn't even thought to check in on him just yet," she murmured, head bowed and eyes downcast.

He waved off her words, "There was no harm done," he said kindly. "However I think he should probably be taken back to his room for a shower and to get ready for his lessons once he's done with breakfast."

"Can't I go see Nyx first? Just to make sure he's okay,"

Regis sighed before speaking, "How about this, I'll go visit him today, and I'll see if he's up for visitors, hm?"

Noctis gave an enthused nod before hopping down from his seat to walk to where Regis sat, and opening his arms for a hug. With soft eyes he leaned down and lifted his son, returning the hug and planting a kiss on the mess of dark hair.

He finally released the boy when he started to squirm in his hold, no doubt all the sugar coursing through is veins. Once his feet where back on the ground he was bounding over to his nanny and grasping her hand and letting her lead him out of the room.

"How is he Clarus?" He asked, but the silence from his Shield made his eyes narrow. "Clarus?"

"The was a complication this morning around three am."

"What complication? Dr. Tappo said that besides the obvious injuries there were no others."

"He has a pulmonary contusion on his right lung, a pars defect on his L-3 vertebrae, and a mild concussion. The doctors didn't know this until he was given an x-ray a few hours ago. They suspected the concussion, but the others they did not." Clarus said as he ticked the list off his fingers.

Regis slammed his hand down on the table, "And _why_ did no one think to wake me!? How is it that I'm learning about this _now_? I should have been the _first_ to know of this." He snarled, face twisted in a scowl.

" _Calm_ down, Regis. Getting angry will do no good. He'll be down for months at this rate, and he's been moved off the active roster for the foreseeable future," Clarus placated, hands raised to pacify the King.

Regis growled, running a hand down his face, "Is there anything else I should know about, before I get to the medical wing?"

"Due to the electrical shocks from his magic, it's caused an irregular heartbeat," Clarus sighed, before continuing, "It's possible for it to fix itself as it was caused by his own magic."

Huffing a breath, Regis moved away from the table, "Alright old friend, let us go see my eldest son. If he's awake we have much to talk about."

Clarus nodded as he followed his King. Their walk to the elevator, much like the night before was silent, though thankfully not filled with stress and tension.

* * *

Nyx did little more than lay propped up and stare eyes wide as Cor paced the floor of his hospital room, "Wearing a hole though the floor won't help anything," came his muffled voice.

Cor spun on his heel, and flashed his fangs at Nyx, lips curled up to show the ivory points, "You could have told me." He snapped.

"How would I have proved it to you Cor? Hey look! I have magic that wasn't granted to me by the crystal during my induction ceremony to the Glaives. It's also slowly killing me because I had no one to teach me how to control it. It that what you wanted?"

"Your magic _tearing_ you apart, is not how I would have wanted to find out Nyx." He snarled, eyes flashing.

"Are you mad because I didn't tell you King Regis was my father? Or is because my _magic_ did this to me in the first place?"

Cor rumbled low in his throat as he stalked back very to the bed where Nyx lie, eyes dark and focused. Nyx shoved himself back against the pillows as Cor slammed his hands on either side of his head, effectively caging him. Leaning down Cor stopped just as his nose bumped the oxygen mask that covered half his face, two sets of blue eyes staring, daring the other to back down first. 

"What I'm mad about is the fact that I had to find out from _Clarus_ that you were in the hospital. I'm mad, that it was Clarus that told me that you're Regis' _son_ ," he snarled.

"This wasn't meant to happen Cor! I wanted to tell you. But how was I supposed to bring it up in the first place?" Nyx gasped, mask fogging with hot air as he panted.

Cor closed his eyes, breathing heavily before he huffed, brows smoothing out as he calmed his own temper. Pressing his forehead against the younger male's, Nyx purred at the affection, his bandaged hand coming up to cup Cor's face and stroke a knuckle along his cheek.

Cor gave a rumbling growl before turning and nipping at Nyx's fingers, eyes half lidded. "Once the doctors release you, and you get home; I'm _handcuffing_ to the bed. That way there won't be any possible way for you to go and do something _stupid_ and lengthen your recovery time."

Nyx's face lit up with Cor's words, "Promises _promises_ ," Nyx sung, "It wouldn't be the first time you tied me to the bed." He leered, a smirk playing at the edge of his lips.

Cor grunted as he nosed under the other man chin, making Nyx tilt his head to allow Cor more room. Cor smiled when he felt Nyx shudder before burying his face in the crook of his neck, mouth opened just enough for Nyx to feel the graze of his teeth along his pulse.

Nyx exhaled before opening his mouth, "I didn't think it would matter, I'm Galahdian Cor, and I'm an adult. What could the King possibly want from me? I'm a _bastard_ Cor, I have nothing to offer." 

"Don't let Regis _ever_ hear you say that. Regis wouldn't care what you did or didn't have to offer, Nyx. I've know this man for two decades. Trust me on this." Cor felt as Nyx nodded and relaxed, before feeling as his own tension drained from his body, "And don't ever let me hear you talk about yourself that way. Or I'll get the gag out." Nyx laughed at his words, eyes crinkling with mirth.

The two stayed tangled together, Cor's arms now positioned so that his hands can card through Nyx's hair, while Nyx himself had tangled his arms around Cor's neck, forcing him to lift his head, their foreheads touching as Nyx fingers played with the skin on his nape.

The quite was broken by a pointed cough, and both men tensed, Nyx's heart giving a jump as he spied just who coughed; and he could feel Cor tense, no doubt he knew as well.

He grasped at Cor's jacket, his eyes wide and almost panicked as Cor lifted himself from on his spot top on Nyx.

"Regis, I didn't think you'd be here so _early_ ," he said, voice calm despite the situation.

"Yes, that's quite clear to me Cor." He deadpanned, glancing between the two men across from him, Regis frowned, "Exactly how long has..... _this_ been going on?"

It was Nyx that spoke, "I didn't think it would matter, Majesty."

Regis' frown deepened and his brows furrowed, "I'm merely curious, you are only twenty-two while Cor is thirty-six,"

"I'm well aware of his age Majesty," Nyx spoke, reaching out a hand to grasp Cor's own. Regis' eyes locked on the movement, like a voretooth would on injured prey.

"Cor."

"Yes, your Majesty?" He asked wearily as he stood straighter, shoulders pulled back.

"Perhaps you'd be willing to step outside as I speak with my son." Regis watched as Cor got a stubborn look on his face, "Cor." He said again, "I also wish to speak with you in my office later," Cor gave a sharp nod, but stayed rooted in his spot.

Regis' jaw clenched, nostrils flaring at the defiance, but Cor met his gaze straight on. "Cor stays." Came a breathless voice from the bed.

"Ny-" Regis started, but stopped when the younger shook his head.

"No. Cor stays."

Regis looked to Cor once again, and grunted when he saw the pleased look on his face. Like a coeurl after a successful kill.

The two broke their stare down when Clarus snapped, "Will you two knock it off. Regis, Ulric is over the legal age. He can see who he wishes."

With those words, Regis and Cor both deflating like popped balloons.

A sudden tug on Cor's hand had him stepping back, legs hitting the edge of the hospital bed, making his knees buckle, and he dropped onto the bed, making Nyx give a small bounce; Nyx hissed as he was jostled.

Cor threw a sharp look at Nyx, " _That_ was _stupid_."

Nyx laughed, his hand leaving Cor's to run over his ribs and grabbing at his jackets side seam, "It's good to know I can still catch you off guard. Even confined to a hospital bed."

Sparing a glance to the two men still standing, slightly awkwardly of he was being honest. "When am I going to be released? These walls are going to start talking to me if I stay here any longer," he joked.

Regis sighed before walking to one of the vacant chairs, looking to the younger men sitting together on the bed he said, "Given the circumstances of what happened a handful of hours ago; it'll be another few days, just so that we can be sure a relapse doesn't occur."

"Forgive me, if I sound rude Majesty, but what exactly does that mean? How many days?"

Regis shook his head, "At least another five to six days. Your irregular heartbeat has the doctors concerned. You are removed from the active Glaive roster for the foreseeable future as well,"

"How long am I off the roster for?"

Regis eyes hardened, "Until you have control. I cannot allow you to be put on active duty, until I know for certain that you magic will not lash out, on yourself or on your allies."

Nyx snorted, "My magic has never hurt any of them. Even when I've pushed myself to the absolute edge, my magic has never touched them." The silence the encased the room was deafening. Nyx paled when he realized just what he had said.

"What did you just say." Came a snarl from the man sitting on his bed. Nyx's eyes locked with Cor's heated ones, and he flinched at the snarl on the older man's face, "You told me you just took stasis worse than others!"

"Well...... I do?" Came his sheepish reply.

"That's not stasis you brat, that's your magic harming you!"

"You don't need to tell me Cor," he snapped, "I'm quite familiar with what my magic does. I've been dealing with this shit since I was eight."

A choked noise had Nyx swinging his head to where the King sat, his eyes wide and haunted as the words that Nyx spoke clicked.

"Fourteen years," Regis said, voice quite.

"It was never like this. It got worse.....after we came to Insomnia." Nyx almost whined, hand reaching up to pull lightly at his braids, before growling, "It feels like something is missing. Like my magic is reaching out. It's worse around you and the young Prince. But around you........it hurts the worst." He finished with barely a whisper.

"Of course it would be. I am your father, your magic would try to reach for mine first and foremost. The fact that it doesn't reach for Noctis' is.... surprising but not very."

"Why is that surprising Regis?" Cor asked.

"Nyx's magic, is uncontrolled, normally a Lucis Caelum's magic will reach out to any and all other magics to try and establish a bond. Yours however does not reach out to Noctis', which is surprising. However you are very conscious of the threat your magic is, magic is instinct as much as it is conscious thought. Your instinct to protect, overrides your magic's instinct to form a bond."

"So that means what, exactly? My magic will always be like this?"

Regis shook his head, "No. I will not allow it. You magic does not know how to respond to other magics, this creates a slight problem." He steepled his fingers together, "Your magic could respond to another's in a multitude of ways. Just by my own brushing yours, your magic is not something that likes to submit," he cut a glare to Cor when the man snorted.

Nyx flung a hand out, slapping Cor's shoulder. Cor threw a smirk over his shoulder, making him laugh, but Cor's smirk dropped when Nyx started coughing.

"Nyx?" Came Cor's wary voice, but nyx waved him off, still coughing.

Regis made to stand, and the sight of blood splatter coating the inside of the oxygen mask had all three older men rushing into action, and not a minute later the sound of Nyx's heart monitor was a shrill beeping.

Cor struggled to get the mask off Nyx's face, watching horror as more blood started to coat the mask, finally _finally_ got that mask off but the coughing didn't stop. 

The sound of doctors rushing in, and the feeling of hands on his shoulders, pulling him away from the bed, tugging him back into a corner, holding fast as he struggled against the hands, "Cor!" A voice snarled.

"Cor that's enough. Its enough!" A third hand pressed against his chest, stilling him as he watched, eyes wide as the doctors set to work.


	3. Chapter 3

The silence was deafening between the three men. The King and Shield sat stone faced, eyes following the pacing form of the marshal, "Sit down Cor. Pacing won't help."

"They said he was stable. Is that what they call stable?" He snarled

"The suppressors haven't had even twenty-four hours to take full effect. It might not even have been his magic acting up. It could have been something that the doctors hadn't found," Regis tried to explain, trying to find another explanation, anything to calm Cor.

When Cor suddenly stopped his pacing he sighed before speaking. "He was twenty."

Regis gave a questioning noise at the words, "Who was twenty?"

Crossing his arms, Cor continued, "Well it was about half a year after he turned twenty. Our two year anniversary is next month," he watched wearily as his words clicked in Regis' head. Cor watched the different emotions played out on his friends face before his face settled in muted rage and Cor braced himself for the blow up.

"Calm down Regis." At the words Regis threw a wide eyed look to his Shield before snarling.

"He was twenty! Clarus."

"Yes and at eighteen he's considered an adult furth-"

"By Galahdian terms he was an adult at thirteen. After his third hunt by himself," Cor cut in, watching as Regis made a strange garbled noise before going silent. "Regis," Cor said, grabbing the King's attention, "I know you didn't expect to find find you had another son. But do not push him. Nyx never takes it well if he thinks you're trying to force him to do something. He'll do the exact opposite."

"Know this first hand do you?"

"Regis!" Clarus snapped, watching the King slump in the chair at his reprimand.

The King sighed, looking tired and worn from the stress of the last day. "You hid it. Would you have even told Clarus and I?"

"In time. Nyx and I had been discussing telling you. We were going to after our two year anniversary."

Regis nodded. The sound of the door opening interrupted the three men.


End file.
